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Floods in Greece, late September 2018

Greece Fire Service respond to floods 30 September 2018. Credit: Greece Fire Service

by Richard Davies (FloodList). Data for Greek weather by Artemis Papapetrou, Head of the Hydrology Section, Division of Climatology, Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS) Greece

Severe weather affected parts of Greece from 28 to 30 September 2018, with heavy rain of almost 300 mm reported in some areas, as well as strong winds and high waves. Media referred to the severe weather as a Mediterranean hurricane or ‘Medicane’ and named it 'Storm Zorbas'. The heavy rain caused some streams and rivers to overflow and significant flooding in several areas. The worst affected areas were in the Peloponnese, eastern parts of Central Greece (Sterea Hellas), Euboea (Evia/Evvoia) and the Sporades Islands, where flooding and landslides caused significant economic damage, including flooding residences, damaging roads and disrupting transport.

Firefighters received almost 2,000 calls for assistance to help evacuate people trapped in cars and flooded homes and to remove downed trees and other debris. Civil Protection in Greece said that flooding in Mantoudi in the municipal unit of Kireas, Euboea, had caused major problems. Media initially reported that 3 people were missing in the floods in Mantoudi. Later updates reported that one of the three had died, one was rescued and one remained missing. A state of emergency was declared for affected areas, including parts of Euboea and Phthiotis regional units of Central Greece and municipal units of Korinthos, northeastern Peloponnese.

HNMS meteorological stations showed that Oreoi (North Evvoia) recorded 295 mm of rain between 28 to 30 September, over 10 times the September average of around 26mm. During the same period Argos (Peloponnese) recorded 111 mm, Elefsina (Attica) 95 mm, Skyros Island (near Evvoia) 111 mm, Skiathos (Sporades Island) 151 mm and Tanagra (Sterea Hellas/east Central Greece) 156mm. An informal EFAS flood notification for the Kifisos river was sent on 28 September.